Members of the National Assembly have asked the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to develop and legislate laws that will facilitate the Africa Free Trade Zone to enable the African continent to trade internally without going out of Africa.

According to the lawmakers, a Free Trade Zone is one of the many tools that African countries could use to spur growth. 

Embu County Senator, Alexander Mundigi has requested for a statement in Senate on the destruction of crops by Wildlife in Embu County.

The Senator wants the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources to:-

1. Explain the measures being taken to contain elephants that have been roaming within the farmlands of Machang'a village near Kamburu Dam in Mavuria Ward, Mbeere South Constituency, Embu County.

Nandi County Senator, Samson Cherarkey has requested for a statement in Senate on the operations and financial status of Kenya Airways. 

The Senator requested the Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism to:-

1. Apprise the Senate on the current operational and financial status of Kenya Airways, stating measures if any, to address significant losses by the airline which stand at Kshs. 38.26billion by December, 2022.

The Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism Chaired by Kajiado Senator Lenku Ole Kanar Seki held a meeting today to consider pre-publication scrutiny of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill, 2023. 

Sponsored by Sen. Esther Okenyuri, the Bill seeks to achieve the following objectives by providing a standard framework for-

1. Entrenching the right to informal trading;regulation of informal trading including areas for the conduct of such trade and licensing by counties. 

The Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare led by Sen. Miraj Abdullahi held a meeting 

today with the Governor of Vihiga County to receive his response on a Statement sought by Vihiga County Senator Godfrey Osotsi on Human Resource Audit Process in Vihiga County.

Senate had requested the Governor to;

1. Provide reasons for the inordinate delay in finalizing an Audit process on Salaries for both employees on manual and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) payrolls particularly for the month of September 2021

Sen. Hamida Kibwana has requested for a statement in Senate on Shortage of Oxygen in Kenya's emergency care facilities.

The Senator requests the Senate Committee on Health to:-

Shed light on reports that over 30% of emergency care centre's in the country have no regular supply of oxygen, that close to 90% of those with oxygen did not have piped oxygen in the emergency department or that which is delivered directly from the tanks to the patient and the estimated cost of providing adequate oxygen supply to all public hospitals and emergency care facilities in the country. 

Five Cabinet Secretaries are slated to appear before the Senate this Wednesday to respond to questions from Senators.

Cabinet Secretaries for Roads and Transport, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage,Education,Lands ,Public Works, Housing and Urban Development and Interior and National Administration will appear before Senate pursuant Standing Orders 51A (5) at 9.30am.

Two Cabinet Secretaries set to appear before the National Assembly on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Hon. Ezekiel Machogu,  the Cabinet Secretary for Education is expected to respond to questions regarding the funds channeled towards the construction of Junior Secondary Schools across the country, the introduction of a school feeding program, plans for the smooth transition of learners from Grade 7 to Junior Secondary School, and the plight of Government-sponsored students undertaking their studies in Cuba.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has asked the national government to deploy helicopters to boost the rescue efforts of the victims of Paul Mackenzie cult in Shakahola village.

The Speaker hailed the decision by the ministry of interior to use drones for the exercise, describing as an important step in the exercise.

But he pointed out that choppers are best suited for the task because they can land and rescue victims once they are spotted.

"I want to ask the Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to go beyond drones and avail helicopters for the rescue mission," he said.

The National Assembly Budget & Appropriations Committee (BAC) unanimously approved legislative proposals to amend existing Bills. Led by the Committee Vice Chairperson Hon. Mary Emaase, the Committee approved; the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill (2023) by Hon. Dr. Beatrice Adagala, Pensions (Amendment) Bill, (2023) by Hon. Tandaza Sawa, Political Parties (Amendment) Bill (2022) by Hon. Wanami Wamboka, Kenya Scouts (Amendment) Bill (2022) by Hon.

Chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Hon. Nelson Koech has congratulated the newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Lt. Gen. Francis Ogolla.

Hon. Koech described Lt. Gen. Ogolla's promotion to the helm of the Kenyan Military from his previous rank as Vice-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces as "professionally, intellectually and most solidly well deserved".

The current debt stock is projected to range above Kshs. 9.4 trillion by June this year, and cross the Kshs. 10 trillion debt ceiling by June 2024. This is according to a 2023 Public Finance Management Regulation Amendments report presented by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to the National Assembly Public Debt and Privatisation Committee Chaired by Balambala MP Hon. Abdi Shurie.

National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration chaired by Hon. Wanjiku Muhia (Kipipiri) held a consultative meeting on integration process with different stakeholders.

During the meeting, the stakeholders; Ministry of East Africa Community, the Arid and Semi Arid Lands  (ASALs) and Regional Development, the State Department for Immigration & Citizen Services and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat, made presentations on the EAC strategies to support free movement of goods and people within the bloc and other regional bodies.

The Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant workers this weekend retreated to enhance capacity on matters relating to diaspora remittances and migration among other issues affecting the Kenyan Diaspora. The retreat held in Mombasa County also provided the Members a platform to review the Committee’s agenda and consider its progress report.

The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for National Treasury and Economic Planning, Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u has proposed the amendment of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act 2012 and the attendant regulations to replace the current numerical debt ceiling of Ksh 10 trillion with a debt ratio of 55 percent present value of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Speaker of Senate Rt.Hon Amason Kingi,EGH has said the Senate places great premium on engagements with stakeholders because the outcome greatly shapes legislative interventions and action taken by the House in line with its constitutional mandate.

The Speaker noted that the Senate has continued to avail a critical linkage between government and the business community by providing a legislative framework to guide operations of County Governments.

Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing Chaired by Kiambu Senator Senator Karungo Thangwa, held a meeting today to consider several statements and petitions. 

The committee considered Statement by Sen. (Dr.) Lelegwe Ltumbesi regarding status of implementation of the Lamu Port South-Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project in Samburu County,

Statement by Sen. Beatrice Ogolla regarding death of boda boda riders and their passengers by sugarcane trailers of a local sugar miller (Sukari Industry) in Ndhiwa Constituency. 

Senate Lands, Environment and Natural Resources Committee Chaired by Nyandarua Senator Sen. John Methu held a meeting today to Consider a Legislative proposal on the Real State regulation and development Bill, 2023 Sponsored by Trans Nzoia Senator Sen. Allan Chesang.

The specific mandate of the committee is set out in the fourth Schedule to the Standing Orders, which is ‘to consider all matters relating lands and settlement, environment, forestry, mining, water resource management and development’.